I feel that particular pain acutely. As such, I think a centrist by definition is someone who has policy positions that don't always agree with either party, which is why they often get labeled centrists or Independents.
My sense of centrists is they do very little to rock the boat. That's why their legislation is neither right nor left.
For example, anyone who is a reasonable person would agree that we need an all of the above approach to solve our energy needs, which includes more conservation, more drilling, more nuclear energy, and large new renewable energy investments.
However, if you are for drilling for oil or nuclear energy then you are labeled a Republican. If you are for renewable energy then you are labeled a Democrat. So if you are for all of the above, what does that make you? To me it makes you a pragmatist, but in political circles it labels you as a centrist or Independent.
There is no reason why Rs can't be for drilling oil while pushing for alternative energy sources......after all, the oil won't last forever. So then, MM, why don't they?
Centrism equals pragmatism in most cases.
I disagree. Centrism means playing it neutral.
Thus, we come back to politics, which is why I continually say we need a centrist President and a Congress that tacks to the center from both ends.
I think that works better in theory than in practice. |
